The Reality of Firefighter Post Traumatic Stress

“The traditional culture of fire service is that it’s a sign you’re broken, it’s a sign of weakness. "It’s not a sign of weakness, It’s a sign you’re a human being ..."

Firefighters are asked to face trials that few outside the profession can imagine – from horrific disasters such as catastrophic fires and mass shootings to everyday horrors such as fatal accidents and children sometimes dying in their arms.

The stress of the job takes its toll on even the strongest individuals. And sometimes, that stress boils over.

Like the military, firefighters are uniquely susceptible to the emotional and mental impacts these stresses.

According to national research, roughly one in five firefighters in the U.S. and Canada suffer from a treatable post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). The effects of post-traumatic stress can be seen in an array of issues ... some seemingly trivial, others deadly: